Greenhouse education exchange to be altered

More garden and greenhouse lovers will be able to take part in a six-decade-old foreign exchange scheme from next year.

Applications for the 2010/11 intake of the Martin McLaren Scholarship are expected to be in by October 31st, but will include a number of individuals who would not have been eligible in previous times.

The scheme usually sees one graduate from the US and one from the UK head in opposite directions in order to further their horticultural knowledge.

While the American would study for ten months at Reading University, the Brit would complete the first year of a masters degree course at an institution in the states.

However, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) – a key player in the scheme – recently revealed there will be a less academic focus on the programme from now on and participants will be able to gain a years worth of practical work experience.

Rather than only being open to university graduates, the programme will now accept applicants with diploma or HND qualifications.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that Howard Nurseries in Norfolk has been named the countrys top family-run business in a competition run by Barclays.